Skoda Kodiaq long-term test: report 8
Skoda's biggest combustion-engined SUV seats seven and looks like good value, but what's it like to live with? We're finding out...
The car Skoda Kodiaq 1.5 TSI 150 e-Tec DSG SE L Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Why it’s here To see if Skoda's seven-seater can provide a winning blend of comfort, practicality and economy
Needs to Tackle long trips with ease, carry bulky loads and be frugal at the pumps
Mileage 9202 List price £42,205 Target Price £37,839 Price as tested £43,005 Official fuel economy 44.5mpg Test fuel economy 40.6mpg
10 June 2025 – Help when it's wanted
A certain weakness among us blokes (that I’m willing to admit to suffering) is a reluctance to accept help. I’d rather drive around in circles than ask for directions, I’d rather wire a fuse wrongly and risk burning my house down than get an electrician on the case. When my Skoda Kodiaq offers a hand, though, I’m usually willing to accept it.
You see, I know the Kodiaq is on my side, and the subtle way it renders assistance is usually very welcome. Usually.
I always pull nose-in to my drive because this gives me more space to play with when I load and unload the Kodiaq's immense boot. That means, though, I have to reverse out every morning... and mine isn't the most lightly trafficked street. Cars tend to turn into it from the main road at a rate of knots, and as I gingerly back out of my drive – often between parked cars, it's not always easy to spot drivers that could be on a collision course for me. And that's where the Kodiaq's Rear Traffic Assist comes in. It can detect cars approaching from the left or right and audibly warn me of their presence, or – if it's a real emergency – slam the brakes on to avoid an impact. It can recognise cyclists and pedestrians, too.
The system uses the same sensors as the blind-spot assistance, and this, too, is especially handy in London, where cyclists and motorcycle couriers often jump out from where you wouldn’t necessarily expect. In the Kodiaq, when I check my mirrors before I signal and manoeuvre, a red light on the inside of the mirror warns when there’s something lurking where I can’t see, and I know to be extra cautious until I know what it’s up to.
The only “help” that I do object to in certain situations is the lane-departure assistance, which could do with a bit more intelligence – especially on country roads. If veering to miss a pothole takes me across the centre line on an otherwise traffic-free road, for example, the car will fight to send me into the chasm I’m trying to avoid. Yes, I know the system won’t object if you indicate first, but surely only the most fervent of rule-followers indicates to pass a puddle when there are no other road users in sight.
Happily, deactivating lane departure assistance is only a few presses away via a steering wheel-mounted button, and it defaults to a sensible “on” every time I start the car. And that’s fine. As I say, I’m happy for the Kodiaq to lend a hand, but only when it suits me.
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